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The nuclear sector has the potential to contribute to a cleaner world, as it is the second largest source of low-carbon energy, and accounts for 10% of global energy production
The perspectives for nuclear energy and the importance of the sector in the transition to a more sustainable world were the themes of a webinar promoted by the Brazilian Center for Public Relations (Cebri) this Tuesday (15). The meeting brought together experts from the sector from various institutions that defend nuclear energy as a power in generating cheaper electricity and without emitting greenhouse gases.
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Nuclear energy is responsible for 3% of the energy matrix in Brazil. This source of electricity, despite being allied with sustainability, is still seen with prejudice due to accidents in power plants in past times. The best-known case occurred in Chernobyl, Ukraine, 1986, causing more than 2,4 million deaths.
Present at the webinar cebri, the CEO of Eletronuclear, Leonam Guimarães, put in his opening speech how nuclear energy can bring security to the energy sector, exemplifying the “oil crisis” that occurred in the 70s and the fact that France today has about 70% from its parent company from the sector.
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“Fear is caused by not knowing. energy security OK on the basis of the evolution of nuclear energy because it was closely associated with the oil crises of the 70s (…) Nuclear energy has a very significant effect in terms of increasing energy security”.
Leonam Guimarães – CEO of Eletronuclear
Still on energy security, the president of the Energy Research Company (EPE), Thiago Barral, pointed out that nuclear energy combines the imperatives of energy security with the pace of transition to decarbonization, and added that, in relation to National Energy Plan 2050, the nuclear sector should minimize regrets about what Brazil has already established in terms of expertise in producing energy from other sources.
“Our role is not the lowest cost, but reducing the cost of regrets. Faced with a huge diversity of scenarios, how do we make choices that don't put us in 'dead ends'? Over these decades, Brazil has built up expertise, accumulated knowledge and technology, so it has a whole asset that has been investments over many years. If we make the option to abandon this energy, we deconstruct this asset, and will this generate a cost of regret later on when, eventually, we are faced with a tie in the fuel supplement chain?”
Thiago Barral – president of EPE
War in Ukraine could not go unmentioned from the perspective of the energy market
According to the project manager at PSR, Celso Dall'Orto, the impacts of the war between Russia and Ukraine are still uncertain, but there will be impacts.
“We know that the issue of logistics, immediate prices and fuel prices will change, but the duration of this war and the outcome will have a strong impact on this issue of energy in the world”, said Dall'Orto. “Technologies that were previously seen as expensive are now being looked at in a new light, and that includes nuclear power plants, both traditional and small modular ones”, he adds.
The Brazilian electrical matrix is composed in the vast majority of renewable sources, but it is very dependent on hydrology. Currently, hydroelectric plants are going through a good period – after a severe drought that brought an increase in Brazilian energy bills – which somewhat reduces the impact of rising costs. “The ideal in a matrix is to build a portfolio with different sources, with the cheapest and most immediate ones, to guarantee the sovereignty of energy production”, commented Dall'Orto.
Nuclear energy in Brazil: how can the sector stop being seen as a villain and actually become a clean alternative?
Nuclear energy is viewed with a lot of prejudice. As we said above, it was the accidents at power plants and the creation of nuclear weapons in other countries that established the image that the sector is a poison for humanity.
Nuclear energy is strong in the projects of several nations that intend to reduce electricity costs and achieve environmental goals. Nuclear power plants are capable of mass-producing electricity and do not compromise actions and targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonization. In Brazil there are 2 electronuclear power plants in operation: They are:
- cove 1, the first Brazilian nuclear power plant, started operating in 1985
- cove 2, which started operating in 2001.
The electricity generated by these two nuclear power plants supplies a region with about 3 million people. Altogether there are 1.990 megawatts of power.
With around 70% of the civil works completed and 75% of the plant's equipment purchased, according to Eletronuclear, the cove 3 it is expected to start operating in 2027. And it should generate enough electricity to supply 4,5 million Brazilians, with 1,4 gigawatts.
The Minister of Mines Energy, Bento Albuquerque, stated that the works of a 4th nuclear power plant in the country should start even before the completion of Angra 3. The project is part of the Ten Year Energy Plan 2031.
